Apparatus for darning woven or knitted articles or fabrics



@ea 25 B923,

. H. L. KINGSMILL NING wovEN oa KNITTED ARTICLES oa FABRICS 5l sheets-sh'eet 1 APPARATUS FOR DAR Filed Feb. s, 1923 Dec?. 25 1923. H. L. KINGSMILL APPARATUS FOR DARNING WOVEN OR KNITTED ARTICLES 0R FABRICS Filed Fe@l 9, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ec. 25 E923.

H. L. KINGSMILL- APPARATUS FOR DARNING WOVEN OR KNITTED ARTICLES 0R FABRICS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 9, 1925 lllll Jil.

Patented Der. 25, i923.

dfn?? HENRY LLEVIELYI KNGSMILL, 03? PRESTON, ENGLAND.

Application filed February e, 1923. 'serial No. 618,143..

To @ZZ ywhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY LLnwnL-risl KiNcsMrLL, a subject ofthe lingof England, and residing at Preston, Lancashire, in England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Darning v W oven or Knitted Articles or Fabrics, of which the following is a specilication. f l

rfhis invention relates to apparatus for darning knitted or woven fabrics or articles of the kind in lwhich the fabric to be darned is gripped between a pair of diagonally corrugated plates which have parallel grooves intersecting the corrugations so as to form a series of passages between the plates for a reciprocating needle.

The object of this invention is to provide van apparatus which is ofsimple and compact construction and adapted to darn the fabric or article in a manner which will permit of shrinkage when the article is subsequently washed;

To this endaccording to this invention the ycorrugated plates constituting the work table are mounted to slide in straight guides `formed in the hedor base of the'apparatus yand a needle carrying member is provided adapted to y'reciprocate ina path at right angles to the movement of the work table. The' needle is' adapted to carry loops of thread or the like through the needle passages in the work table and means are provided for preventing the loops thus carried through from being withdrawn with the needle as well as for advancing the work table step by step along its guides.

Further, to prevent the darning threads beingdrawn too tightly and to ensure the formation of loops of lsufficient dimensions to permit shrinkage when the article is subsequently washed, pins or pegs are provided .on the work table around which each loop is caused to pass before being engaged in the known manner by the neXt succeeding loop so that although a'chain of loops is formed, there is considerable play or looseness at the end of each darning thread.

ln the preferred construction the apparatus comprises a base or bed formed oval or ovoid in plan and supporting in suitable bearings a. rod adapted to carry a needle at one end and provided with an operating handle on the other end by which the rod 'can be reciprocated. Formed at right angles to the rod in the upper face of the base,'are

guides for the work -supporting table, 'the guides being conveniently undercut. The

under surface of the lower'plate carries a rack with which a pawl mounted on Ythe base and operated by the return movement of the rod engages. rlhus the work table is moved in a path at right angles to that of the rod each time the latter is reciprocaed and is directly operated lby the needle ro In addition to a thread catching device of known construction, a spring 'finger or the like is secured to the bed so as to bear against the Vedge of the table, this finger not only preventing withdrawal of the loop, after the thread catcher has become disengaged therefrom but further, when the table advances, holding the loop last made inthe path of the needle yand over the 'end of the neXt following groove vin the table. Further a row of upwardly projecting pins or'pegs is formed along the longitudinal edge of the table around which the thread is forced to pass between the formation of each loop,

thus preventing the loops being drawn too tightly. lVhen the needle neXt emerges from the table the loop so formed is threaded through the one previously formed 'and held by the spring finger a chain of 'loops being thus produced. The yfinal loop may be finished by hand or tied -in 'some other suitable manner to prevent unravelling of the chain.

A preferred construction according to this invention is illustrated in the accompanying dra-wings in which Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation.

Figure 2 is a plan.

Figure 3 is an inverted plan, part of the operating rod being broken away. s

'Figure l is a plan on an enlarged scale showing the workcarrying table, portion of the upper corrugated kplate being broken away.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the carrying table, vand c Figure 6 -is 'a detail view showing in perspective the sear pipe and the port-ion fof the rod cooperating therewith.

In the construction illustrated the apparatus comprises a base or bed A 'having a workdownwardly inclined flange A constituting a supporting foot'. Formed at right 'angles to the major aXis of the bed, which is ovoid in plan, is an undercut y"groove or 'recess constituting a guide B for 'a work-supporting is secured to a lever J2 table hereafter more fully described. The flange A is drilled or bushed at each end to receive and support an operating rod C which can bereciprocated in a direction parallel to the length of the bed by means of an operating handle C', a lug or standard C2 secured to the rod projecting upwards through a slot A2 in the bed and preventing rotary motion of thelrod when it is reciprocated. The lug C2 is provided with an adjustable tension spring C3 and means for carrying a needle D such for example asa set screw D. The needle may be of the known sewing machine type and lies in a plane parallel to the surface of the bed- The work-supporting table comprises a pair of plates E F having ribs E F of V-section disposed at an angle of 45 to the sides of the plates formed on onev face thereof. These ribs constitute a series of diagonal-corrugations and each of the plates is provided with a series of parallel grooves E2 F2 which intersect the corrugations and lie at right angles to the length of the table and of the operating rod. The grooves E2 F2 constitute a series of passages through which the needle D can be successively passedin a manner hereafter described.

The lowerplate F is shaped to fit the undercut groove B and carries on its under surface a toothed rack @adapted to cooperate wit-h feed mechanism actuated by the rodV C in such a way that when the rod is reciprocated the work-supporting table is caused to move in a path at right angles to the needle by mechanism hereafter more fully described. j

The lower plate F further carries upwardly projecting standards F3 which are slotted to rereive some suitable spring cla-mp or the like H by means of which the two platesE and F are pressed together and thus made to grip the woven or knitted fabric which is placed between them.

Mounted on the upper surface of the bed' plate A is a thread-catching device comprising a hook member J keyed to a spring-controlled spindle J the lower endof which lying between the rod C and the under surface of the base plate. The free end of the lever .J2 carries a stud or projection J 3 with which a leaf springk or linger K connected to the -rod C engages towards the end of the outward stroke andduring the early part of the return stroke of the rod. Cooperation between the spring finger K and the lever J2 is effected by means of a sear member or ramp L secured to the under surface of the base plate and comprising an inclined portion L land a flat step L2 separated by a `(rap L3 shown in Figure 6.

C Normally the spring surrounding the spinzdle J v causes the hook member J to lie acrossthe path of the needle. When however the rod C nears the end of yits forward stroke, the inclined surface L defieots the spring finger upwards so that its forward edge engages the stud J 3 on the lever J2. Con- 'tinued movement of the rod rocks the lever J2 and therefore the hook J against the action of its spring out of the path of the needle into the position shown in Figure 2. The step L2 on the sear member retains the finger K in engagement with the stud until, just as the needle is being drawn back between the plates E and F the return movement of the rod carries the end of the finger over the gap L3. The finger falls into the gap and passing below the inclined ramp L releases the pin J 3 whereupon the hook is returned by its sprin to its normal position, the inclined sur ace Ll retaining the finger in its depressed or inoperativeiposition.

The feed mechanism for the work-carrying table comprises a pawlV M pivoted to the underside of the base plate and having a tongue piece G adapted to engage the teeth of the rack G. The pawl is normally held by a spring M against a stop M2 and at its free end has an inclined nose M3 and a cam 'surface M4.

the work table within its guides B owing to y the engagement of the tongue G with the rack Gr. VA spring l 5 (which may be adjustable) engages the ratchet G and ensures that the correct travel is imparted to the table at each reciprocation of the rod C.

Not only is a thread-'catching device required but, in addition, a retaining device, which will hold the loop after the hook has become disengaged therefrom and during the movement of the table. VIn the construction shown this comprises a spring finger O mounted on the base plate and adapted not only to prevent theV loop of thread being unintentionally withdrawn but also to hold in the lpath of the needle the loop formed by one reciprocation of the rod during the next stroke of the rod so that each loop is threaded through the one formed immediately before it and the series of loops thus constitute 'a chain. To prevent the threads or loops being drawn too tight and to allow for shrinkage, pins such as P are formed along the sides of the lower plate F around which the threads pass.

The operation of the apparatus is `as follows Y The fabric to be darned is clamped between the plates E, F by thespring-H and a darning thread'is passed :under the tension' spring C3 andv threaded through' the eyeof the needle D. The work-carrying table is then so placed within-its guides B thatthe extreme left-hand grooveEg, F2 (i.` e. the uppermost groove in the figure) isin alignment with the needle.I

The rod C is then pushedr forwardsint'o the position shown in thev drawings whereupon the thread is carried'by theV needle through the raised portions of the fabric gripped between the corrugated plates. Just before the needle emerges froni'between't-he far edges of the plates, the hook J is swung clear ofthe needle intol theposition shown in Figure 2 by the finger K engaging the stud J3. This finger remains in contact with the stud until, on the return ofthe rod, the finger is d-ra-wnofl "the flat surface L2 and enters the gap L3 whereupon the stud J3 is released and the hook, under the action of its spring, is caused to back, thus catching the loop of threadformed belowthe needle. The continuedv return movement of the rod actuates the pawl M through the spring-controlled finger N and cam surface IWL thus advancing the work table directly the needle is clear thereof.

l hen the work-carrying table is moved within its guides the loop of thread which has been caught by the hook J is drawn under the spring finger O and thereby pressed against the edge of the table. Not only is this loop thus gripped against unintentional withdrawal but further, owing to the movement of the table, the end of the loop is brought over the end of the next groove so that when the needle next emerges towards the end of its next stroke it necessarily passes through the loop thus made the thread from which the next loop is formed. In this manner as the table is advanced step by step a chain or series of loops is formed and this is prevented from becoming unravelled by the last thread being finished off by hand in some suitable mannen,

To prevent the loops being drawn too tightly and to allow for shrinkage the upwardly projecting pins P are provided around which the thread is forcedrt'o pass between the formation of each loop.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In apparatus for darning woven or knitted fabrics the combination of a bed plate, a work table comprising' a pair of diagonally corrugated plates between which the fabric is gripped, having needle passages formed therein,straight guides formed in the bed plate in which the work table slides, a reciprocating member mounted in the bed plate and adapted to move in a path at right angles to that of the work table, a needle carried by the reciprocating member adapted to carry loopsof thread successively through the-needle passages'in the'workv table, and means'actuated by the reciprocating member for advancing the work table step by step along its guides as set? forth-.l

2; In 1 apparatusy for darning woven or knitted fabricsthe combination of a bed plate,a work table comprising alpair of diagonally corrugated plates between which thefabric isgripped having needle vpassages formedl therein, straight guides formed inthe bed plate in which the work table slides, a reciprocating member mounted in the bed plate and adapted to move in a path at right angles to that of the work table, a needle carried by the reciprocating member adapted to: carry loops of' thread successively through the needle passages in the work table, means actuated'by the reciprocating member for advancing the work table' step by-step along its'guid-es and means for holding each loop carried through a needle passage inthe path of the next following` loop when the table advances as setforth 3. In apparatus for darning woven or knitted fabrics the combination of a bed plate, a work table comprising apair of diagonally corrugated pla-tes between which the fabric is gripped having needle passages formed therein, straight guides formed in the bed plate in which the work table slides, a reciprocating member mounted in the bed plate and adapted to move in a path at right angles to that of the work table, a needle carried by the reciprocating member adapted to carry loops of thread successively through the needle passages in the work table, means actuated by the reciprocating member for advancing the work table step by step along its guides and pins on the work table adapted to engage the loops formed by the needle as set forth.

4. In apparatus for darning woven or knitted fabrics the combination of a bed plate, a work table comprising a pair of diagonally corrugated plates between which the fabric is gripped having needle passages formed therein, straight guides formed in the bed plate in which the work table slides, a reciprocating member mounted in the bed plate and adapted to move in a path at right angles to that of the work table, a needle carried by the reciprocating member adapted to carry loops of thread successively through the needle passages in the work table, means actuated by the reciprocating member for advancing the work table step by step along its guides, means for holding each loop carried through a needle passage in the path of the next following loop when the table advances and pins on the work table round `which each loop passes before being engaged by the next following loop as set forth.

5. In apparatus for darning Woven or knitted fabrics the combination of a hanged bed plate having an undercut transverse groove formed in its upper surface,v a Work table comprising two superimposed corrugated plates one ot' which slides Within the groove, these pla-tes having needle passages termed therein, a spring member tending to press the corrugated plates together, a reciprocating member mounted in sockets in the ianged portion of the bed plate and adapted to move in a path at right angles to that of the Work table, a needle mounted on the reciprocating member adapted to carry loops of thread through the needle passages inthe Work table, a thread catcher adapted to hold such loops when the needle is Withdrawn, a spring linger adapted to hold each loop in the path of the next 'following loop and automatic mechanism directly operated by the reciprocating member for moving the work table step by step along the groove as set forth.

6. ln apparatus for darning Woven and knitted fabrics the combination ot a bed plate, a Work rtable comprising a pair of diagonally corrugated plates between which the fabric is gripped having needle passages formed therein, straight guides formed in the bed plate in which the Work table slides, a reciprocating member mounted in the bed plate and adapted to move in a path-at right angles Ytothat of the Work table, a needle carried by the reciprocating member adapted to carry loops of thread successively through the needle Ypassages in the work table and means actuated by the reciprocating member 'for advancing the Werl: table step by step along its guides, such means comprising a pivot, a rack on the Work table, a pawl on one end of the pivot engaging the rack, a lever on the other end of the pivot, a ramp on the lever and a pin mounted on trie reciprocating member adapted to engage the ramp so as to move vthe lever, and thus rotate the pivot and advance the Worn: table as set forth.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. t

HENRY LLEWELYN KNGSMILL. 

